Disney's (DIS) Alice in Wonderland was the number-one picture over the three-day weekend. No surprise, necessarily, as the rank wasn't the true question mark. The question, in my mind at least, was exactly how much the film would take in during its debut. Would it go beyond expectations? Would it capture the top spot with a paltry $45 million?

I believe it's safe to say Alice came through for the Mouse. According to early estimates at Box Office Mojo, the project took in $116 million from domestic multiplexes. Brooklyn's Finest, distributed by Liberty Capital Group's (LCAPA) Overture Films, placed second with $13 million -- not that great, but the budget was only $25 million on this one, so we'll have to see if word of mouth brings the grosses up to a financially appropriate level (besides, The Wrap indicated that it only cost Overture maybe less than $3 million for the rights).

In its second weekend out in the domestic theatrical marketplace, Viacom's (VIA) Shutter Island thriller, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, demonstrated that it has some resilience. This is good news, considering the budget on the film is a healthy $80 million.

Island made $22.6 million, according to Box Office Mojo. The cumulative gross so far for the flick is better than $75 million. Viacom beat out Time Warner's (TWX) new entry Cop Out, directed by Kevin Smith, and horror picture The Crazies, a remake of a George Romero project from the early 1970s, which is distributed by Liberty Capital Group's (LCAPA) Overture Films.

Last week, I discussed my disappointment with Disney's (DIS) A Christmas Carol. As a shareholder of the Mouse, I remain dissatisfied with the performance. However, this past weekend's theatrical take of the film makes me a little happier.

According to early estimates at Box Office Mojo, Carol scored about $22 million at domestic theaters, making it the second most popular film of the three-day period. Sure, it wasn't number one, but given the fact that Carol made $30 million last weekend, I'd say you have to give it some credit for avoiding a significant percentage drop. So far, it has generated more than $60 million in revenue.

Disney (DIS) had high hopes for A Christmas Carol. It was supposed to be an unqualified blockbuster. Unfortunately, the film's first weekend at the box office was nothing short of a disaster.

Too strong? Hardly. According to early estimates at Box Office Mojo, Carol took in little more than $30 million at domestic screenings. It was wasn't supposed to be like this. Carol was supposed to be light-years ahead of the competition. Sony's (SNE) Michael Jackson's This Is It came in second. The Men Who Stare at Goats, distributed by Liberty Capital Group's (LCAPA) Overture Films, was third. And The Fourth Kind, from General Electric's (GE) Universal, is currently ranked, aptly enough, in fourth place. Each of the latter three pictures had a gross of somewhere between $12 million and $14 million. To me, Carol's take didn't seem as disproportionate as it should have been.

Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) Where the Wild Things Are was number one over the past weekend at domestic theaters as of early estimates from Box Office Mojo. The film grossed well over $30 million. Coming in second was Law Abiding Citizen. If Wild Things wasn't in the market this weekend, that one definitely would have been tops at the multiplex. The revenge fest, from Liberty Capital Group's (NASDAQ: LCAPA) Overture Films, brought in $21 million.

Right on the heels of that project is the very cheaply made Paranormal Activity, courtesy of Viacom (NYSE: VIA). It made about $20 million. So far, Activity has generated over $30 million in total. And they say the little horror extravaganza cost less than $20,000 to produce!